The Rolling Stones: Some Girls
I was lucky enough to find the original banned version on vinyl a few years ago, of course I had no idea there was a banned version or why it had been. Luckily for me the record store owner was more than happy to give a brief run down on the facts, and without a trace of condescension.
The featured females celebrities Lucille Ball, Farrah Fawcett, Raquel Welch, and the estates of Judy Garland and Marilyn Monroe took offence to their images being given a slight drag queen make over and threatened legal action. If the macho boys from The Stones could have a laugh at their own dragged up images, surely a few forgotten actresses (aside from Farrah Fawcett who was riding high on the Charlie’s Angels wave) could have let it slide and left the cover as it was originally intended.
The cover was designed by Peter Corriston, who also designed the next three Stones albums as well, but for me with much less success. I’m a sucker for retro design and i love that it always allowed the use of a wide variety of typefaces, regardless if some were a little ugly. It also wasn’t concerned with stuff being too cluttered or busy.
It’s nice to see the design execution carried over to the back cover. Instead of blandly listing the song titles and running order, they are spread out amongst clippings of old 1950’s bra advertisments. The washed out colours used on both the front and back remind me of old magazines and books found wasting away in book exchanges. Considering the 70’s was the decade of the glammed Disco era, with even The Stones themselves taking a bloody good swing at it with ‘Miss You’, it was refreshing to see Peter Corriston didn’t follow the same trend and opted to take his inspiration from a few decades past.
Amended cover: Looks like a quick patch up job.
Who’s a pretty boy then. The cover photo used for the Have You Seen Your Mother Baby, Standing In The Shadows LP, Released around 1966.
taotechuck:
Wow. Like you, I had no idea there were two versions of this cover. I also never realized just how good this cover is, given that I’ve largely dismissed most of the Stones’ later (i.e., the past 30+ years) work. This really is a great design.
# 28 Aug 07 at 1:31 am
dan:
bill wyman is a really ugly lady…
# 06 Sep 07 at 12:30 am
bdave:
Just for the completists, the advert that was used:
http://picasaweb.google.com/davebelling/Downloads/photo#5128824217353609586
# 04 Nov 07 at 1:39 pm
Cindy:
I have the Rolling Stones album. great condition. does any one know what it is worth?
# 08 Nov 07 at 3:48 pm
christian:
Peter Corriston also designed the cover for Zeppelin’s “Physical Graffiti,” with a similar concept (East Village Tenament with die cut windows). Also to his credit is the Stones “Tattoo You” cover (among many others).
# 13 Nov 07 at 3:17 am
Michael Quirk:
I agree that Bill Wyman is a really ugly lady. Always thought this was a great design concept.
# 31 Dec 07 at 5:32 am
dk:
There are actually a lot more than two versions of this cover. The type along the top that says “The Rolling Stones” was issued in at least five different color schemes (all variations on red, white, and blue).
It’s probably also worth noting that the ‘banned’ version of the cover is only slightly more valuable than the amended (ie, faceless) version. You can usually find it in the five to ten dollar range, and it’s not really that hard to find if you look around.
Awesome site - keep up the good work!
# 12 Jan 08 at 6:55 am
Oi.:
Great cover.
“Macho boys” from the Stones-?!?!?! I’ve heard them called a lot of things, but never heard Mick Jagger, one of the great androgynous dancing boys of the 20th century, get called “macho”
# 07 Mar 08 at 5:13 pm
Don:
There were six different versions of Some Girls and none of the photos are the people you think they are. There are, however, photos of the cover designer Peter Corriston, his partner in crime Robert Indiana, Eric Segal (author of the phenominal Love Story, and Laurie Gameral (the girl with faraway eyes). This album was a response for faraway eyes himself and is connected to Robert Indiana’s LOVE sculpture and Eric Segal’s Love Story. You can here Mick calling to Don Varga in the lyrics of the songs.
# 08 May 08 at 1:26 am
Don:
This album cover came out in six different versions initially then was changed to the blocked out version. None of the photos are of the people that they appear to be. There are, however, photos of Peter Corriston (the designer), Eric Segal (author of Love Story), Robert Indiana (Peter Corristons partner in crime) and the “girl with faraway eyes”, she actually exists. This album is the climax of an incredible love story and ties to other albums: Exile on Main Street, Tattoo You (Mick is just waiting on a friend) and the current Bigger Bang.
# 08 May 08 at 2:00 am